1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is primarily that of floppy disk drive assemblies. The invention relates to this type of equipment wherein the drive unit, that is, the chassis or frame of the unit is constructed to be relatively shallow, that is, to have a low profile. The invention is particularly directed to a spindle and spindle bearing support structure adapted to a shallow low profile frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In disk drive units or assemblies typically, of course, there is a driving member or drive spindle which is driven by a motor and with which a clutch cone cooperates for holding and driving the diskette while it is in the unit. Certain units of this type are particularly adapted for use in mini and micro computers. Contemporarily designed units may be substituted for units already present in previously marketed mini and/or micro computers.
Recent developements have resulted in satisfactory designs of shallow, that is, low profile chassis units whereby two of them can be placed in a space formerly occupied by a single one, thereby doubling the capacity of the computer.
One of the difficulties or draw backs to previous designs of drive units has been one of space required by the fact that typically the drive motor for the spindle was mounted coaxially with it, that is, below it thereby increasing the depth of the unit as a whole by that amount.
Associated with the difficulty described above is that of the problem of minimizing the overall dimension of the drive spindle, its bearing mounting and the drive cone so as to be compatible with a shallow low profile unit. In a typical construction in which the drive spindle and motor are mounted coaxially on the same shaft, bearing supports are required for the shaft which tends further to increase the overall vertical dimension. The prior art has been further lacking in a type of construction of a spindle drive cone and bearing mounting, having the capabilities of the herein invention.
The herein invention is concerned primarily with the spindle construction and its bearing mounting, a specific example of which is described in detail hereinafter. It is intended that the invention shall fill the existing needs not presently available in the prior art and to accomplish a number of other advantages.